The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-10-05
FAIRCHILD'S ADDRESS.
The Pension Question - Re-
viewed from a q. A. r.
Standpoint.

order upon the evidence of its perma-
nent and healthy growth, as is evil
denced in the ermaster-generaPsre
port. He said that during the year
death had claimed 3,406 comrades, con-
spicuous among whom was the lamented
John A. Logan. The order is on u firm
financial footing, SIC, 900 of surplus funds
having been invested in United States
bonds. The bond of the quartermaster-
general has been raised to $4,000 and
the acknowledgement has been required
TO give a bond of $1,000. The patent
for the Grand Army badge has
Been duly transferred and Is
now the property OF the order.
He recommended that the incoming
administration be authorized 10 accept
the Drexel cottage, on Mt. McGregor, If
the details of trusteeship and manage
ment can be arranged TO their entire
satisfaction, and also that the Grant
memorial committee be continued for
another year. He also recommended that
the encampment select and designate as
historian some comrade who Is compe-
tent to write a complete history of the
Grand Army and suggests that the gem
eral government include in the next
decennial census an enumeration OF the
soldiers of the war of the rebellion who
may be living in 1890.
moving the national headquarters every
year, the commander said that the
books and other property of the order
are in an unsatisfactory condition and
he recommends, as matter OF economy,
that the headquarters be located at some
central point for term OF years and the
appointment of salaried assistant
acknowledgement of experience. AS it
now is, he says, it takes the newly-ap-
pointed Acknowledgement about the first
half of the year to get his records in
shape and when his office is fairly sys-
tematized he must prepare to move it.
Under the head of pensions, Com
mander Fairchid said: "By the creed
of the Grand Army of the Republic
every one of its members has promised
To assist such former comrades in arms
as need help and protection, and to ex-
tend needful aid TO the widows and or
phans of those who have fallen And
the comrades have for more than TWEEN
ty years, been active and Jealous in
their efforts to keep that promise In let
ter and spirit. This charitable work
has been carried on publicly. There
has been no secrecy. All men who
cared 10 know have been fully and con-
stantly informed of the steps taken for
the relief of those whom we
promised to assist. Very many thou
sands of dollars have been expended
annually by posts, in giving temporary
aid TO such as have from time TO time
needed it. Large sums have been ex-
pended by comrades privately, without
the Intervention of posts, Tor the same
purpose. We have sought aid from the
United States government in the shape
of general pensions, and asked for fur
ther aid by insisting on the increase OF
pensions to certain classes. We have
constantly, for many years, inquired into
the pressing needs of our comrades,
and have, by every honorable means,
within our reach, sought to influence
the Congress of the United States TO
grant the relief their conditions seemed
TO require. The United States govern
ment has responded TO this call in many
instances as is shown by the pension
laws now on the statute books. We
have also sought to influence state legis-
lation so that aid should be granted to
those who were not, under their exist
ing national laws, entitled to pensions.
We have been for years of one
mind IL considering ii but simple JUS
tice that the United States should at least
grant pension of not less than Sl2 per
month to all persons who served
three months or more in the mill
tary or naval service of the United
States, during the war of the rebellion
and who have been honorably dis
charged therefrom, and who are now,
or who may hereafter be, suffering from
mental or physical disability, not the re-
suit of their own vicious habits, which
incapacitates them for the performance
of manual labor. This has been public
ly advocated by us, and all men, who
cared to know, have been fully aware of
our action, and yet, until recently, we
have heard almost no objection to such
measures. Because others have changed
their minds, we need not therefore
change ours. Our path in this direction
has been straight. We have diverged
neither to the right nor to the left.
/ have recited and reiterat-
ed this well-known record of the
Grand Army of the Republic for the in
formation ofthose who may have been
led TO believe that we have recently
made new and unheard-of demands for
pensions. That is not so. What we ask
now, in the way of general pensions, we
have advocated for years. We ask it
because we believe it to be right. We
do not think it is demanding too
much. When in Februa-
ry last it was thought proper that
the public should know the opin-
ions of the members of the Grand Army
OF the Republic regarding the depend
ent pension bill then pending circular
No. was issued from National head
quarters. That circular asked for an
expression of the judgment of the or
der, for or against the bill. The meas
ure was almost unanimously endorsed.
Greatly TO our disappointment and re-
greet the bill was finally defeated. 1t was
said by some that there had not been a
fair expression of opinion given by the
members of the Grand Army of the Re-
public. While that assertion was
not well-founded, the national
pension committee, when it was
determined to frame another bill
for presentation to Congress, decided TO
place the proposed measure before each
post and ask for vote thereon, to the
end that no man could truly say he does
not know, with reasonable certainty,
what the ex-soldiers think of it.
That vote, has been taken in a MAORI
ty of the posts, and the measure has
been almost unanimously approved. /
venture to say that nine-tenths of the
veterans favor this bill on its general
merits if no other can be obtained.
/ believe this relief will be granted
at the next session of Congress-; because
il has the approval of large majority OF
Zoe people. know that many or you
favor another and broader measure OF